Trip delay and disgruntled UA Rep

Hey all,

Never had an experience like this before, so I just wanted to know what my options are.

I had a flight to Bangkok yesterday with United that had two stops. SFO and HKG. While still in Washington, our flight got delayed twice: first because of “current conditions and staff shortages limiting the number of planes allowed to land each hour,” and then again because of “strong winds impacting operations.”

At that point, it was clear we weren’t going to make our connection at SFO, so I went to talk to a customer service rep to see what we could do. I get that the rep was probably under a lot of stress given the situation, but he was honestly really rude and unhelpful. The first thing he said to us was, “I hope y’all are local.” He told us that if we flew to SFO, we’d miss our connection and, since the delay wasn’t United’s fault, we weren’t entitled to hotel accommodations, meal vouchers, or seat upgrades. He also said I probably wouldn’t get my money back for the seats I paid for.

I tried to tell him that the DOT site says otherwise, but he just kept saying, “No, you’re wrong.” He tried to rebook us three different times first through Chicago (which had massive delays), then through LAX to BKK (but said there was no availability), and finally through HND to BKK (but said he couldn’t book it because it was an ANA flight and he couldn’t book on their behalf). We asked if we could be rebooked on a different airline, and he said that wasn’t an option since the delay was due to the FAA, not United.

Eventually, he rebooked us through LAX the next day, which meant we’d get to Bangkok a full day late missing part of our trip, losing money on activities, and paying for a hotel night we wouldn’t even use. When we asked what would happen if the same thing happened the next day, he just said, “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” That one kinda stung.

So my partner and I decided to call United’s main customer service line, and it was night and day. The rep we spoke with apologized for what the guy at the airport said and confirmed he was wrong. She was super helpful and even managed to rebook us on same day flights at 6:59 p.m., but by then we had already left the airport. She ended up getting us on a route through HND to BKK, but we’re still out some money.

I booked the flight with Chase points and the hotel with Amex. What are my options for compensation or trip delay insurance here?